We have placed cookies on your computer, as they are essential for parts of the site to operate. You may delete and block all cookies from this site, but certain functionality will cease to operate. Find out more about the Stagecoach cookie.

News from East Midlands Trains

Revised East Midlands Trains timetables due to Freight train derailment

Amended evening timetable to run on 28, 29, 30 and 31 December

Some early morning departures also affected on 29, 30, 31 December and 1 January

Network Rail engineers require track access to carry out repair works

East Midlands Trains is to run a revised evening and early morning timetable for the next four days to allow Network Rail to carry out emergency repair works following the derailment of a freight train at Barrow on Soar (between Leicester and Loughborough) on 27 December.

The repair work and work to remove the freight train from the site of the derailment will require Network Rail engineers to use heavy machinery and specialist lifting equipment. As a result, all lines between Leicester and Loughborough will be closed to allow Network Rail to carry out this work.

East Midlands Trains will therefore be running an amended evening service on the evenings of Friday 28, Saturday 29, Sunday 30 and Monday 31 December. Some early morning services on Saturday 29, Sunday 30, Monday 31 December and Tuesday 1 January will also be affected.

A copy of the revised timetable is available, however in summary:

A very limited train service will be in place after 18.00 between London and Leicester.

No trains will be able to run north of Leicester after 20.00 on each evening.

The last direct northbound services departing from London St Pancras will be the 18.25 to Derby/Sheffield and the 18.30 to Nottingham.

All other services will terminate at Leicester and a limited replacement bus service will be available for onward northbound travel.

In the southbound direction, there will be a reduced service after 16.30 on each day.

Journey times will be extended and services are subject to cancellation.

A spokesperson for East Midlands Trains said: "We would like to apologise to our passengers for any inconvenience this will cause, however it is vitally important that Network Rail have full access to the line so that they can move the freight train and repair the damage caused by the derailment yesterday. Due to the location of the derailment and work required, it is unfortunately going to have a significant knock on effect on our evening and early morning services to and from London.

"We will be working hard to continue running as many services as possible whilst allowing Network Rail to carry out this important work. However, we would advise passengers to check before they travel and either travel earlier in the day if they can, or use an alternative train operator wherever possible.”

A Network Rail spokesman said: "This is a complicated recovery operation, but every effort will be made to limit disruption to passengers as much as possible.

"Over the next four nights our engineers will have to construct a road to the site, stabilise the embankment, remove seven derailed wagons and repair over 300 yards of track."

Passengers are being advised to make their journey earlier in the day wherever possible or travel via an alternative train operator. Passengers holding an advance ticket for a service after 20.00 will be able to use their ticket to travel on an earlier train service. Passengers holding an advance ticket on an early morning service can use their ticket to travel later in the day. East Midlands Trains tickets will also be accepted on Virgin, East Coast, Cross Country and London Midland services.

Train services are still unable to call at Barrow on Soar as a result of the incident and a replacement bus service is in place between Barrow and Loughborough to connect in with train services.